Johto Nidoran Colony

The Johto Nidoran Colony is more or less what it says on the tin. It's the main, macroscale Colony the Nidoran species maintain in the Johto region. It comprises the area of the center Johto peninsula defined as follows (for the Original Timeline):

The Colony or Warren is a largely forested area that is crossed by one or two small rivers, has some plains to the south side and hides a couple of caves. Pokémon of various species found normally in Rt. 35 and Rt. 36 nest in the hills and flatlands, or in the thick part of the forest in the case of the bugs. These species include Rattata, Zigzagoon, Whismur, Marill, Venonat, Snubbull, Pidgey and of course Nidoran. While no particular species rules the area (though in the future depicted in PMD-B, mons like Granbull do), the Nidoran living there have established themselves as policers of the area.

It is stated in the AU, where the Colony is larger, that it is enough to almost surround the city of Goldenrod, which is the purpose of the rulers so as to protect the city.

Contents

History

It is told in Nidoran lore that the Colony was founded many many many moons ago by some Nidoran who came from a place they call the "faraway water-land", an unknown island beyond the sea. The first Nidoran to arrive found that the hills and the forest were rich and that from atop them the (then primitive) humans could be always watched and the Elil (the predators) could be warned about; thus they established their burrows in the depths of the forests. The warren spread quickly as the sunlight and the winds from the sea made the soil rich. Because of this they worshipped Frithrah, the Sun God. Eventually and for an undetermined reason, the Nidoran were given divine mandate by Frithrah to keep the forests and plains around the nascent town that would one day become Goldenrod healthy.

Ever since its establishment the Colony has been self-policing, not submitting the rule of their species to any invader. This independence has only been partially broken once, during a brief segment in the alternate timeline.

It is implied that during various points in its history the Colony has shared migration groups with the Viridian Nidoran Colony from Kanto.

The safety of the Colony and its territory has been breached various times though. They have been raided by mons from the northeast and northwest, and more recently by packs of wild mons that live in the lands west from Olivine and who seem to be unaware of The Vow. The most relevant breach was during the hostile actions of Team Rocket in their takeover of the Johto Region. Many Pokémon were caught in the forest by the criminal organization. Eventually someone puts an end to the interference brought to by Team Rocket and the colony reorganizes itself.

Alternate Timeline

In the Alternate Timeline the Colony was at grave danger as well when Artemis and Scolipede's forces invaded Kanjoh and Sinnoh, which forced the colony members to abandon Goldenrod, retreat to the thick forestline beyond Route 35 and shut their doors figuratively speaking. It was thanks to the actions of Silent and the intervention of Pokémon like Reshiram that the Colony was secured; then, their secretive order the Owsla proceeded to retake the city. During this period the Colony also provided some assistance to the Mareep flocks in Rt. 32 to resist the invasion.

When the Seven Jerk Dragons betray humanity the safety of the Colony is once again in danger. However after a series of defeats brought by the growing presence of the draconic forces in Johto, the breeders decide to sacrifice the Colony's sovereignty to spread their forces to other places in Johto where they can be of assistance, sending some Owsla members to build the resistance in Alto Mare and in an undetermined coastal city in Johto (perhaps Cherrygroove). As they do this they merge with the governed forestlands of the northeast, ruled by mons from the Lake of Rage, eventually forming the union called the Golden Forests. Despite their tremendous effort, it takes divine mandate to send Inka to purge the Dragon Paradise to finally liberate the Colony and the entire region of the draconic presence.

By the time of PMD-B, the forests have expanded to cover much of center Johto, in an entire triangle between what once were Ecruteak, Goldenrod and Violet. The Colony still exists as part of an entity encompassing the various species of the Golden Forests, but the Nidoran retain the policing position.

Otherverse Timeline

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Culture

Nidoran of Colony Johtoan ascendance speak Monese primarily, but also speak a variant of formal Lapine, in particular in the inner rings.

Within the Colony, the term "Ela" or its plural "Elil", indicative of "Enemies", is strictly reserved to the most important of their predators, such as Skarmory and some canine mons such as Houndoom; using this term to address anymon else is indicative that the speaker is not willing to recognize the target as any more than an enemy or an entity without ability for redemption.

Nidoran of the Colony appreciate the coming of sunlight in dawn and the protection the shadows give during dusk. They worship Frithrah, the Sun God (literally "Sun Lord"), who gives light from His Perch and makes the grass grow rich. This holy figure corresponds to current Ho-Oh or one of its ancestors (and to Nix in the far future of PMD-B). To greet each other after a time of travel, or to welcome a foreign Nidoran from another Colony, the expression Frithaes ("Frith be with you") is used. Nidoran also worship Inlé (Death or the Moon), the spirit that comes to collect their lives, to a lesser extent; represented as an Umbreon who assaults them with tharn, the deer-on-the-headlights sensation (with flashbacks of life and all) that signals that one's time draws very very very near.

The Nidoran in the colony wander around at various times of the day into the human routes and other features of the terrain. They are watched over most of the time by the adults and especially by a patroller force that takes a role similar to that of human police called the Owsla that is comprised by Nidorino/a of various ages who shadow roaming troops.

While most Nidoran live under the social structure of the colony, there are small troops of individuals, mostly of Nidorino morph, who choose to live their lives outside of the rules of their forest, designated foremost by their lacking of a burrow or nest. These groups, not different than pop-culture street gangs, are known as hlessil ("vagabonds") and are usually fought and kept outside of the inner Colony rings by force.

Once every six months, in the middle of fall and spring, female adults enter the marlao ("Mother time") or time for breeding. Males compete in various ways to be chosen as a mate, as part of a ritual that involves among other things serenading to the females, digging of trenches and running battle-royales without rules until the survivors gather enough attention from a female. It is the females who make the decision in the end to invite or drag a male to their burrow. Nidorina/o tied to each other by courting ritual refer to each other as émar ("mate").

Members of the Owsla enjoy a certain preference in the mating rituals, though this is not always of their own accord, as they are expected to provide "protective services" to the Colony including the breeding of better fighters. An Owsla who attempts to refuse the advances of a breeding cabal member might likely find himself the object of an Attract.

Sometimes couples that have started courting each other as basic-morph Nidoran secure their relationship in this ritual. These couples are known for never using, and sometimes not even knowing, techniques such as Attract or Captivate.

Once mated, Nidorina will go through pregnancy and give live birth instead of laying eggs.

It has become customary in the Johto Nidoran Colony that fully grown Nidorina will take and keep a single émar for life. It is hinted in the AU that they learnt this custom from observing humans in the city of Goldenrod. It is agreed among the females that for the life-partnership to be true, Attract and Captivate must have never been used on the object of affection. It is hinted that the decision to switch to live birth is tied to this, as a way to build more loyalty from the mates to each other.

Newly-born Nidoran are furless and blind, but they gain their fur and poison fast. At about four to six days old they are brought out of their burrow with their parents, who introduce them to flay ("grass") first and then to other Nidoran. At about one week old, male Nidoran are taken by either their father or an instructor to learn the most basic of techniques, Tackle and Leer. Female Nidoran are taught communally by the mothers. Only after they hit about one month of life Nidoran are allowed to roam the outer rings of the Colony and meet humans for battle as dictated in The Vow.

After evolving into Nidorino or Nidorina, and reaching about 18 months old, an individual of the species who has shown a careful ear and ability to defend others might be called to meeting and tested to become an Owsla.

There are three (four in the AU) Royal Couples living in the Colony's eastern side. Their role is that of watching against pack predation and keeping the hillsides well terraformed. Unlike in other warrens, they don't usually trespass knowledge on courting tradition to the lower morphs, as those now learn their rituals from humans as well.

Ruling

The Colony is ruled by a ring of breeder Nidorina who hold the decision power in most relevant matters except those that are dictated by lore. Only Nidorina who are already mother of two litter in consecutive marlao (mating seasons) can ascend to this position by recommendation of the cabal or by hostile takeover; there have been a couple of exceptions to the rule to allow mothers of one litter such as Inka, but the rule that only mothers are allowed shall not be broken.

These Nidorina assemble and consult with members of other species living in the area to live in relative harmony within the regulated rings of the Colony, which function more or less like a small city.

It is unknown who the breeder cabal members were or what was their role or status during the Team Rocket takeover.

As of the beginning of WAAPT and until year 5 after PEFE, Inka Silent's Nidorina, was a member of the breeder cabal. She was removed from that position during Silent's stay at the Orange Islands as she and Baluarkos didn't produce offspring that year. Her position was taken by Ametsa.

In the Alternate Timeline, the main position of the breeder cabal is held by a four year old Nidorina named Mayonaka, whose mate Taisho is the leader of the army forces. This would last until at least the events of the Draconic Treason. In the unmodified timeline that follows, with the fall of human civilization, the leadership of the colony is handed over to the Ursaring species, but Nidoran remain as the police force. By the time of Nixfest 26xx, the role of Owslarah (police leader) falls upon Neulpaf-rah and her unnamed mate. In the modified timeline where the effects of the draconic treason are prevented, the leadership temporarily falls upon Shinen and her mate and is eventually ceded to Pokémon such as Ursaring.

Temporary / Renowned Members

Among other Pokémon, Cinder (AU), Teala and Pierce have been honorary guests or members of the Colony. Families such as Faith's and Bill's are considered an extended part of the Colony, entrenched in the city, which they watch over (for Faith's house they send in Soterra). It is also implied that some psychic Pokémon living in Ecruteak and some migrating Linoone and Ursaring coming from the north are considered guests and give special tasks and attributions.

The Colony considers various human specimens of importance for its welfare. Among them and because of his close history with them, Silent retains a special place. The members of the cabal colloquially call him Ithé Mon ("Our Human"). As the Trainer who met Ho-Oh, Luke also holds a special place, and is called sometimes Frith'me ("He of Ho-Oh's").